1960 Chrysler 300F Hardtop Coupe

Chrysler introduced its first 300 models in 1955. It joined a growing list of impressive two-seat sports cars including the Ford Thunderbird and Chevrolet Corvette. Rather than directly competing with Ford and Chevrolet, Chrysler decided to go another route and build the fastest stock sedan available on the market. With that, the Chrysler C300 was born. Power was from a 300-horsepower Hemi engine.

The Chrysler 300s were high-performance luxury cars produced in limited numbers from 1955 to 1965. They were known for speed, engineering, and NASCAR victories. They became friends with performance enthusiasts who appreciated their performance, elegance, exclusivity, and styling.

The 1960 Chrysler 300 F model had an aggressive, no-nonsense stance with outward-slanting fins. They came standard with a 375 HP and could be purchased with an optional 400 HP engine. Most 300 Fs were equipped with a three-speed TorqueFlite automatic transmission, but no more than nine were given a Pont-A-Mousson four-speed manual gearbox. The 300 F was also the first letter car to feature unibody construction which aided in build quality and gave the car improved rigidity.

The 1960 300 F was available as a hardtop or convertible. Around 964 were hardtops and 248 were convertibles.

This car is one of six that Chrysler engineers set aside. They met in a secret location away from the Chrysler plant and began work on what was called the 'Gran Turismo Project.' They modified the cars to compete on the sands of Daytona Beach in NASCAR's Flying Mile race. The cars were dubbed the 'GT Specials.'

This car is a GT Special and the one that placed first in its class in the Flying Mile race with a record speed of 144.9 mph - a NASCAR record that still stands.

The team modified the 413 CID V8 by installing solid lifters, special piston rings, a high-lift camshaft, and cast-iron headers. They added Carter 3084S carburetors with manual chokes, cast special short-ram manifolds, installed a French-made Pont-A-Mousson four-speed gearbox that was originally destined for the Chrysler-powered Facel Vega, and altered the rear-axle to 2.93.

The car was driven by legendary Daytona Beach driver Gregg Zeigler to race at Daytona Beach. Chrysler mechanic Carl Purse was on hand to help tune the car. The 300 F was then fitted with Goodyear Blue Streak tires to help it before on the sand. All six GT Specials appeared in Daytona Beach, where NASCAR founder Bill France acted as the flag man. The six 300 Fs claimed the top six spots - with Zeigler coming in first.

Zielger drove the car home to Elgin, Illinois, and in 1961 sold it to collector Bob McAtee of nearby Bloomington. The car was kept in a climate-controlled facility and occasionally driven until 2007, when Mr. AcAtee's passing, it was sold to the current owner.

The car is an unrestored, original example that has just 11,000 miles on the odometer. It is finished in black with a tan interior and fitted with many luxurious appointments. There are four contoured seats and the front seat swivel for easy access. The console, which extends from the instrument panel into the rear seating area, includes a tachometer at the front along with armrests, storage compartments, and power-window controls.

The instrument panel has large half-circle design displays that include a range of gauges in front of the driver, including a 150-mph speedometer. Dashboard lighting creates a soft glow across the panel.

By Daniel Vaughan | May 2013